Mark 11:20-25
The Withered Fig Tree
20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Luke 6:43-45
A Tree and Its Fruit
43"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 13:6-9
Bearing Fruit
6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
8" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
Matthew 7:15-23
A Tree and Its Fruit
15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
John 10:22-30
The Unbelief of the Jews
22 Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
John 15:5-8
We Want to Bear Much Fruit
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Galatians 5:22-23
Fruit of the Spirit
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.
Jesus teaches us a lot about fruit trees...The purpose of a fruit tree is to bear (its) fruit...And one of the most interesting teachings is the Parable of the Withered Fig Tree...Jesus could have just as easily done a miracle to have the fig tree to produce one fig, or an abundance of figs...But that was not the lesson He wanted to teach His disciples (or us) that day...Jesus came at the perfect time, and each lesson He teaches and what He taught on earth was at the right and perfect time and is the right and perfect lesson...
Our God is the God of Israel...Many times over the thousand of years, the people of Israel had rebelled against God...They knew Him, yet they rebelled against Him...Then God sent His Son to them...And we know that the ox knows his master's voice and the sheep knows his shepherd's voice...Yet, some of God's people missed this when the Messiah came...
We, it seems, are at times like the fruitless fig tree...We need to learn from the withered fig tree...Jesus says His sheep know His voice, and we listen to Him...The very people who waited thousand of years for the Messiah, would wind up not believing in Him, and would hang Him from a cross...But our lives and what we do and our doing get in the way of our Master and His voice...Often we follow the crowd without much of our own thinking and our unbelief happens and we drift (from God)...A most religious nation had turned their backs on the very Son of their Creator...The most sacred of cities, Jerusalem would be destroyed around 70 a.d....It maybe represent the dead and withered fig tree...
Let us, not be fruitless...Let us be the fruit of the Spirit that our Master wants...Let us produce the fruit that He wants...Jesus is our Vine...Let us cling to our Vine, as a strong branch...Let us bear the much fruit like His disciples...By following His word, we can be fruitful and this is to God's Glory...
God gives us a Holy Spirit...The Holy Spirit is connected to the fruit of the Vine...When we follow Him, and His teachings and His words remain in us...St. Paul tells us that this fruit of the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control...Let us all be fruitful in our living and lives...